Let's be reasonable
by Mere24
Summary: After the proposal, Jo heads over to the Laurence estate to further explain her reasons for the refusal to Laurie. Failing miserably at the task at hand, Laurie asks her to join him in Europe, and Jo seriously considers accepting. *Now Complete*
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I am going through and correcting errors that I have found on a reread. Thanks for reading, if you like it, please let me know. These characters belong to LMA, I am only borrowing them!**

Jo sat in the Garret with her head in Beth's caressing hands and forced herself to listen to the dark melody that emanated from her neighbors' home. Jo could feel the pain that she had caused her boy, and would do anything to take it back…almost anything. Beth's words "she has refused Laurie" played through her head. In their years together she had refused her mischievous Teddy a great many things, but never anything so serious as this. All Jo wanted was for nothing to change, and she was certain that with this one act of defiance, her whole world would turned upside down.

Deciding to sleep in the garret, Jo laid her head on the arm of her three legged couch and began to weep. The ominous melody crept into her thoughts, flooding her mind with reminiscences of her boy. How could he think that she would accept him? She has tried everything to discourage him, had she not been clear? Jo did love her boy, but she could never love him as he wanted her to. She wanted to romp through the woods, put on wild theatricals, and have capitol times without having to worry about all of this lovering.

The more she thought about the prospect of losing her boy, the more she worried that she had made a horrid mistake. Jo was completely and utterly torn. Her options were bleak. Jo could stay her course, and be honest to her wills and desires, continue to write, and live in her castle of literature and independence. This alternative was the certainly the most reasonable way to live, she did not want or need a husband to interfere with her plans, and could not dream of her Teddy in that way. The only problem with her perfect life design was Teddy and that blasted proposal, what was wrong with her boy? What was Jo to do? Her perfect dream of a life was set askew with the thought of losing Laurie.

Jo hated the idea of living in the lap of luxury, she had always enjoyed the thought of a little struggle in her life, and to know that what she had that she had honestly earned. Teddy had always had things just a little too easy, and Jo smiled to herself thinking that her efforts to keep him from becoming too spoiled had worked. She had always imagined Teddy whisking away Meg or Beth, either of them certainly deserved as much, but not Jo. Why couldn't he just be reasonable, he has given her an impossible choice to make and she knew that whether she takes her boy or not, everything would change. Jo would be forced between losing Laurie, or losing what she had always dreamed and planned for herself.

Jo was taken aback by the music enveloping her in desolation. She felt as though she could read his thoughts, and they were getting more intense as the night continued. Jo finally shot up knowing what had to be done. Without hesitation Jo began to march right over there and convince Teddy what he was doing to her, doing to them. Once on the Laurence doorstep Jo realized how incredibly ridiculous this was, it was half past 2 in the morning. Despite the queer feeling that plagued her to turn around and go back home, she stiffened up, thinking that she was here, and she needed to follow through and do this thing rightly. With a firm fist, Jo knocked lightly on the door praying that no one would hear it and she could go home knowing that she had done all that she could.

The instant Jo turned about to head in the direction of the March home, she heard the door creak open. Jo winced and slowly turned about, clearing her thought she said, "May I please have a word with Laurie?" The man replied, "Miss jo, Young mister Laurence has not retired to bed this evening, however, I regret that he is not opening his door to anyone at the present." Jo angered at the reply, and when Jo makes her mind up to do something, it will be done. "Well, sir, this is a matter that goes beyond regret, I am afraid that I must see him now." Jo walked through the doorway and was not stopped in her pursuit. Once at the door to the drawing room, she stopped and took several breaths before tapping on the door. The music only paused for a cantankerous voice to utter "leave me be." Jo knocked again, with a longer pause at the keys, the same voice, slightly more perturbed stated "If I have to come out there, you will surly regret it." Then Jo tried the door handle only to find it locked. The sound of the intruder trying to open the door was enough to send Laurie over the edge, he flew up from his keys, muttering several hateful words, and flung the door opened prepared for battle.

The sheer anger quickly defused into a mixture of confusion, defeat, and hope all at once. There was an awkward silence between the two, and brave Jo, who knew precisely why she had made this journey not ten minutes prior was now wondering what she was thinking, and worse, what she was going to do.


	2. Chapter 2

For the first time in the life of Josephine March, she could think of nothing to say. Standing in the doorway to the ballroom of the Laurence home Jo was facing her best friend, the man who had so sweetly pledged his love to her not 12 hours ago. She had been rendered completely and utterly speechless, which was quite astonishing for Jo. The only thing racing through her head was

"think Jo, think."

Theodore Laurence stood patiently waiting on Jo to speak first. He possessed a queer desire to either kiss her or shake her and could not tell which would be suitable at the present. Laurie could be a patient man, if she wanted him to, he would be anything in the world if only she would have him. She held his heart in such a fragile state that every second of this horrid silence was causing it to breaking further, which Laurie did not think was possible. He tried to search her eyes, to seek an answer, refuge, or some sign of regret from this evenings events, however once his stare met hers, Jo's eyes darted to the floor, cursing herself for being so spineless that she could not face her best friend. The silence was suffocating, and Laurie decidedly broke it with an injured utterance,

"Jo-"

Laurie's voice was so foreign, she could see that she had changed him, she had damaged her boy by what she had done only hours ago in the grove. Jo searched her heart and found that she did not know what possessed her to cross the small area that separated the March home from the Laurence Estate. The resolute plan that she had concocted earlier in the garret seemed so cruel and unnecessary now. How could she come back and add insult to injury. Jo realized that she needed to leave, that she should not have come, her eyes met his, and she began,

"I – I'm so sorry Teddy, I shouldn't have, I should not be here."

Jo began to turn to leave when she felt an uncomfortable pressure on her arm; she glanced in the direction of the impediment, only to find Laurie's grip on the other end, with a look on his face that troubled her. Laurie held a very even yet stern tone when he pointedly replied

"Why then, Jo, have you come?"

Jo stood in absolute silence; he needed and answer, she feared that he would not release her without one. Teddy waited for her response and demanded

"Jo, answer me."

Jo tried to turn her head from him, but he moved closer and cupped his hands to her face. Everything in Laurie said that he was in a dangerous mood, his voice was harsh, she could see the muscles in his jaw clinch while waiting on her response; however, his hands caressed her cheeks as if he were holding the most precious of gems with a fear of losing them. Jo gazed into his eyes and saw something that she had never seen before; she could best describe this new glint as a desperate hope, searching hers with a stare that she could not hold. Jo closed her eyes for only a moment to regain her composure.

"Teddy," Jo sighed, "dear sweet Teddy-"

Laurie's look of desire deepened as Jo expressed these optimistic words.

"Yes, Jo, go on," he responded with the faith of a child.

"Teddy, I have come to, well, to tell you… what I am trying to say is that-"

Before Jo could finish her statement, Teddy pulled her mouth to his, in a movement that occurred so quickly that Jo did not know what was happening. Jo tried to pull away but it was of no use, the sensations that Teddy aroused in her were much more effective than her reasonable mind. Laurie began to move one hand through her wild chestnut locks, while the other moved to her waist. She did not protest either move, and began to wrap her arms around the man in front of her. Jo and Laurie moved into the drawing room toward the sitting area, neither breaking the kiss or the gentle caressing. They had made it to the destination that Laurie had sought, and with sudden awareness, Jo pushed teddy out of her arms, and brought her hands up to her mouth. This was going all wrong, and all she was managing to do was to prolong the inevitable. Jo saw no way out of this.


	3. Chapter 3

Jo looked into the eyes of the boy in front of her trying to catch her breath and still her heart. As she gazed at person opposite her she began to recognize that this boy, her boy, was not a boy at all. In the short lapse of time between which Jo closed her eyes, and just this very moment where she reopened them Theodore Laurence had become a man, a fact which she had mixed feelings about. They both took a seat on the gold love seat in the drawing room, Jo lovingly holding Laurie's hand, and Laurie looking into her eyes with a glare that burned with anticipation.

With merely a trace of the dignity, but much more strength than she had entered this room with, Jo announced,

"Teddy, this is certainly not why I came here, I am so sorry, I never should have let that happen. I have come to explain to you…"

Jo was suddenly cut off by a sudden change in disposition that had come over the man that sat beside her. Laurie's face only moments ago contained a very wanting smile, his eyes overflowing with unconcealed passion. The words coming out of Jo's mouth stabbed him like a knife, and he knew that he could not bear to have her finish.

"Stop."

Laurie said the next phrase with his eyes closed, he stood up stating,

"Jo, if you have just come to explain yourself, your, your decision to not m-marry me, save your breath" he paused cursing himself for the slight stutter in his voice, "I suggest you leave. You made yourself awfully clear earlier, in fact," Laurie sighed "I suspect my heart can take no further _details_ of your refusal."

Jo's mouth dropped with the incredibly direct response that she had received from him. Feeling a little sheepish, she began to wonder if there was any way to smooth this one over, to walk out of the door and still have a friend and confidant in her dear Teddy. Jo decided that honesty on the whole had generally worked in her favor. Jo tried to take his hand once more to convince him to sit down, pulling the hand away in a snap, he resigned himself to sit again, and await more cruel words.

"Teddy, I just want to make this right."

Jo did not breathe waiting for a response. Moments passed, and not a word was uttered from the lips of the lean figure that stared at her. She began to feel more uncomfortable with every passing second in the immense drawing room of the Laurence estate. From the moment that 'dr. Jo' had come and sat with Laurie, tidying his room, and entertaining him with stories of her family and aunt March's blasted parrot, she had felt that this home was an extension of her quaint house next door. Jo had always come in as she pleased, and never hesitated to rescue Laurie from Brooke when he was in need of a recess. For the first time since she had met Laurie, she felt like an intruder in his home. Jo upturned her eyes to find a dark pair staring back with moderate annoyance, and a touch of defeat.

"I just want us to remain as we are; I can't bear the thought of losing my dearest friend, heaven knows I have so few. Teddy, if you do love me as you say, you won't change things between us."

"Everything has already changed." Teddy retorted in a huff.

"But that is just it, we don't have to, we could let the world change around us, and go on as just Teddy and Jo, the world's best friends!"

Jo tried to sound as convincing as possible with this speech, but was unable to satisfy even herself with those meager words.

"I need more than that Jo. I want what we had only moments ago- before your tongue got in the way."

"Was it in the way, I always ruin everything, I thought we did quite nicely, but I have no experie…"

Jo's clumsy words trailed off realizing what Laurie had meant by his statement, and truly embarrassed that she had responded the way that she just did. His eyes grew dark and mischievous, his expression still a little hesitant, Teddy quickly jumped on the chance to return to the embrace that they had shared before Jo had an opportunity to sweep it under the rug.

"So you did enjoy it! See Jo, it doesn't take much effort, you cannot tell me that you felt nothing there darling, for I am certain that I could have felt enough for the both of us."

"Teddy, it was nice, but it was a mistake, and that is not the point,"

"No, Jo" he excitedly remarked cutting her off "That is precisely the point, if you enjoyed it even a little then there is reason to hope."

"No, Teddy," Jo said in a nearly mocking tone. "You can be so frustrating and try me so when you want to. We do nothing but argue and neither of us are good at breaking them up, and that is enough to give us reason to_ doubt_."

Jo said this last line proudly; she smiled as if she had just won a grand debate in the high courts. Jo knew that Teddy would come around, and see her way by and by. With only that thought on her mind, she felt a very familiar feeling on her lips. Before Jo knew it, she was mouth and mouth with her next door neighbor once more. Jo began to pull away, however Laurie's grip on her was so fierce that she did not know if she could. Sitting upon the love seat in the drawing room Jo's body had been conquered by Teddy's sumptuous lips once more. She could feel the soft hand rubbing her cheek while the other fervently stroked her back. Not knowing what to do with her hands, Jo resigned them to his back. Feeling the warmth of Jo's hands on his own back, Laurie pressed her closer to him in a gesture that eliminated the gap that had previously resided between their bodies. At this overt movement, Jo became inflamed with desire for her boy and began to kiss him with a fervor that she had only tried to write about. Her hands roaming his back, Jo began to explore his mouth with her own; an action that only heated the pair, driving him to make a dire mistake in his conquest.

Teddy began to slowly lean Jo back on the Love seat. In the course of the movement, the kiss was broken he began to slowly move down her neck with his soft warm lips to the beautiful neckline. This was an area that Laurie had often dreamt of tasting. Living in a moment that he had only visited in dream world, Theodore Laurence began to slowly move his hand to her waist, and while his hand began to move up, Jo placed her own atop him and allowed them to wander. Abruptly she realized what this scene may have appeared to be to an onlooker. Pushing Laurie off of her and standing Jo tried to, for the second time that evening, regain her composure. While trying to find the proper words to say, all she could think about were his hands caressing her waist, their bodies touching one another, and his mouth on her neck. Teddy stood up as well, and wrapped his arms around Jo's waist, deciding to have the first word this time around.

"Jo, there was no mistake in this; you cannot tell me that there was."

"Teddy, the mistake is that it happened at all; now every time we see one another, this will be all that we can think about. I can hardly stand here and not think about it, in fact, I think that you are just a little bit too close to me right now."

Stopping her motion to move away, Laurie leaned his long body down, resting his head against hers, his mouth scarcely touching her ear.

"I think that I am standing just close enough."

Jo had a very difficult time resisting the temptation to turn her head to his and have a repeat of a few moments ago. She proudly stood her ground, and tried with all of her might to get back to her original thoughts, although her memory was flighty at the moment. All she could feel was the sensual tickle that held an amazing warmth on her ear.

"Teddy, you said that you wanted to take Holiday when you finished school, why not go to London or Rome, give this room to simmer, and we will see where we are in good time."

Teddy, absorbed in the smell of her said wistfully,

"Oh Jo, I had no intention of going alone. You were always part of my plan. Have you not always wanted to go abroad."

"Teddy…this is just cruel, you know good and well that I have."

Jo said this unconsciously pulling their bodies closer, absorbed in the warmth of him.

"That's it"

He cried as he pulled away, placing his hands on her shoulders as though he was going to shake her. Laurie placed their foreheads together and looked at Jo as though he had just invented the wheel.

"Jo, come to London with me."


	4. Chapter 4

Had Jo heard him properly, was she being asked to go to Europe, to her Europe? Everything in her body wanted her to scream yes without hesitation. After a moment's consideration, Jo mulled over the gravity of the question before her. He said that he had intended on going with her from the beginning, what does he expect of her on this trip? The uncertainty flooding her mind was slowly beginning to overtaking the bodily delight that was all encompassing up to this moment. She began to have the clarity of mind to answer Laurie in a reasonable fashion.

"We have been through this, I am not ready to-"

She was cut short by a man that needed to finish his thoughts before he received any more objections.

"Jo, it is perfect, for both of us. We can live as we have lived here go wherever you would like, Rome, London, Paris, oh, Jo, you must say yes."

His eyes were filled with boyish hope that made Jo want to retreat back into his arms, and escape from this inquisition. Jo sighed, and with an air of petulance about her replied,

"Well, Laurie, how do you propose we go? The two of us just flitter out of here with no chaperone, what would grandfather think, oh, my, Marmee would never agree to this."

Jo looked off distracted, he could see thoughts penetrating her mind, he hated when she called him Laurie.

"Jo, we would hardly just go and flitter anywhere, and I have a home in London, just filled with people. We can have separate rooms anywhere we travel for propriety's sake of course." With a devilish look, he exclaimed, "You and I don't need a chaperone anyhow!"

Looking him straight in the eyes, Jo said soberly –

"I believe that we have proven tonight that we in fact do need a chaperone, I could not entertain the thought of this without one." Jo turned her eyes to the floor, trying to catch her breath.

"Does that mean that you would entertain the thought of going with one?" Laurie asked with a cautious tone in his voice. Jo bit her bottom lip and slowly looked up at him.

"I honestly do not know, this is not at a proposition that I would have thought to ever be offered, and I feel that, well, I just need to chew on it a bit. I also must receive blessing to go by Marmee."

Jo paused, thinking of the enormity of the situation, choosing her words carefully, she added,

"If we do go," starting slowly, and pausing, "let's stop all of this lovering and truly allow us to go on as we do here, like the reasonable friends that we are, shall we?"

Certain to the answer in his heart, Laurie realized that this may be a life changing question. The entire purpose of taking her was to be with her, near her, and to make Jo understand her feelings for him. He knew good and well that if she did not go, he may lose her, and he was not willing to take that chance. Laurie simply responded,

"Jo, please say yes."

There was so much more to add, so much more that he had left unspoken, but Jo saw in his eyes the true reason for the excursion. Knowing that she could not give him an answer tonight, she still had far too many questions, and feeling quite exhausted Jo decided that it was time to make the short trip home. Expressing this to Laurie, he made no objections, he simply pulled Jo to himself, with her nose to his shoulder, and his ear resting atop her crown, they had a lasting embrace filled with comfort and forbearance. Laurie turned his mouth to the top of her head and gave it a long yearning kiss, and slowly breathed in her scent. Taking advantage of the moment, he made certain to commit this feeling to memory, and prayed that he would have more than the memory to rely on in the future.

Slowly breaking the embrace, Laurie leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on Jo's lips. For the first time this evening, Jo did not attempt to pull her mouth from his. Withdrawing from the kiss, Laurie placed his mouth to Jo's ear, whispering ever so faintly,

"let's get you to bed."

Jo's eyes opened wide, and at the sight, Laurie whole heartedly laughed saying,

"Come Jo, I'll walk you home."

The two walked home with arms linked and not a word spoken between them. Once they arrived at the March home, Jo pulled from Laurie, began opening the door very slowly and said with a wicked smile,

"I had better get in quietly or I may incur the Spanish Inquisition!"

Laurie began to laugh, and with one finger over her lips, and a dangerous expression that said that he had better tone it down, he watched as the door closed behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

Laurie somehow made the time the walk between his home and the March's last nearly fifteen minutes. Young mister Laurence was trapped in an ocean of thoughts and questions. He must convince Jo to go on this trip, he simply must. It would be so natural, Jo _did_ love him, she was simply trying not to. Laurie knew her better than anyone, and he knew that she never wanted to marry and hated change, but He never would have imagined that she would fight off love and happiness when it was staring her in the face. Theodore Laurence walked the grand hallways of his family's estate, and entered his bed chamber. This room was flooded with memories of Jo, a comforting fact which had troubled him to no end earlier in the day, forcing him to the grand piano in the drawing room. Oh, the drawing room, the thought of that room surrounded his mind with the several wonderful moments that he had shared with Jo these past few hours.

Laurie quickly changed and jumped into bed facing the window when he suddenly saw a flicker of light in his neighbor's highest window. Knowing where the light was coming from, Laurie delighted in the thought that he had rendered her sleepless. This could have meant many things, but it gave him a shining spark of hope. While watching the familiar shadow pacing the floors of the garret, Laurie placed a pillow under his arm, and contoured another to fit the shape of his body, and closed his eyes for the first time in his life truly knowing what it felt like to wrap his arms around a certain enchanting neighbor of his.

…

After closing the front door to her cozy home, Jo leaned against the door and let out a sigh as her head hit rested upon it. Laughing to herself, the events of the evening played wildly through her mind. Jo was beside herself with a feeling that she could not describe. Quietly heading up the stairway, Jo crept into her small bed, and exhaustion slowly tiptoed over her closing the blanket to her weary eyes. The moment the room disappeared into darkness, Jo had a rush of feelings, as she relived the moments of passion that played between herself and her childhood friend. There was a large portion that wanted to give into the newfound longings and drift to sleep to see what dreams may stir. The logical part of Jo would not allow these odd emotions to fester. Jo lay in bed for a while before, for the second time in that sleepless night, she shot up out of Bed, however, this time going straight to the garret.

Lighting a candle, Jo could not convince her legs to stop pacing, behave reasonably, and sit down. Looking out of her window into Teddy's bedroom, she could see his silhouette moving about the room, thinking that she had seen him turn to the window Jo immediately jumped to the ground below the window sill so as to keep him from seeing her. Jo fell into hysterics at her silly antics, and could not believe her behavior. 'What has Teddy done to me?' Jo sat thinking 'he has turned me into a silly _girl'_. Finally helping herself off of the ground, she was determined to make the right decision tonight. At that thought, she looked out of the window, and realized that she could see the hint of daybreak on the horizon, and became conscious of the fact that 'tonight' had passed her by. Moving her sluggish body to the green three legged sofa, Jo persuaded herself to dream about Europe, not kisses. Much to her chagrin, a certain Laurence Boy was present in all of her romping through a particularly romantic continent during the wee small hours of that morning.

…

"Jo, Jo, oh, my goodness, wake up"

Jo opened her eyes to see two very distressed faces staring down at her.

"Beth, Amy, is everything ok, what time is it?"

Beth started to speak, but was cut off by a very anxious Amy,

"Jo, it is nearly noon, but that is beside the point. _Laurie_ is here, he wants to speak to you, I told him that I would see if you were well. Do you want me to try and make him leave?"

Jo felt a wave of heat enter her cheeks; she set her gaze upon her feet with a knowing smile. Beth knew that it had been a particularly difficult evening for her closest sister, in and out of the bedroom most of the night. Beth thought the smile so odd after the agony that her sister suffered the last time they had spoken. Jo saw the confusion in her sister's expression and wished that she'd had a chance to explain. Amy gave her a look that Jo was often given when she did not answer her youngest sister promptly.

"No, Amy, don't send him away, I will go to speak to him."

Amy immediately responded,

"Jo, you cannot go down like that!"

Gazing into a broken oval mirror in the corner of Jo's favorite room, she assessed her appearance. Untamed chestnut locks ran rampant atop her head, her face full of marks left by the sleeve of her dress, very evident of a heavy sleep. The same green dress that she knew to be Laurie's favorite one, and one of the few no scorch mark to be seen. The dress however had telltale signs of being worn through the woods without a washing; nearly 3 inches of the skirt were brown. Only encouraging Amy, Jo said with a sly glance her direction,

"What Amy, I am dressed."

Jo and Beth began to laugh, however a knock at the little door to the garret stopped them all in their tracks. The three youngest March girls watched the door handle very slowly turn each of their hearts racing in their chests, however, all for very different reasons. Theodore Laurence leaned his head down as he entered the tiny doorway to the March's most beloved little room. Seeing that he needed to address the distressed looks that he was offered, he very politely said,

"I am so sorry ladies; I thought perhaps I had been forgotten."

Laurie looked at Jo with eyes that bared his soul. The moment their eyes met she filled with a glow that was outwardly noticeable to both Laurie and the other March's. Jo turned beet red and turned her eyes to the beautifully aged pecan floorboards. The silence was awkward, but neither Laurie nor Jo seemed to notice. Finally Laurie Spoke,

"Beth, Amy, may I speak to Jo for a few moments?"

Both Beth and Amy turned to their sister, both believing that the last time this pair had spoken ended in heartache and tears, and not planning on setting their sister up for unwelcome anguish. Feeling the distress emanating from her beloved sisters, Jo looked at her boy with a foreboding glare and offered,

"Why don't we take a little stroll?" Turning to address her sisters, Jo added "It'll be fine girls, I'll be home soon, and we'll talk."

Jo left the room quickly Laurie close in toe. Careful to find a location that was not in earshot of the March home, which contained many little ears, Jo turned to Laurie and with a disconcerting tone said,

"How am I supposed to make a decision on all of this if I am hardly given an opportunity to think, much less talk to marmee? The girls must think that I am crazy, last night all that I wanted was to make everything go away, and this morning, I am inviting you in and blushing"

"Jo, first things first, it is afternoon, not morning, and I had assumed that you had not talked to anyone yet, however, I thought that you may have been out of bed, did something keep you up last night?" Laurie said teasing, a devilish smile shone in his dark eyes.

"Something indeed did keep me up. This unrelenting neighbor boy of mine, he keeps asking things of me, like _marriage_ and _European holiday's_ if you could only imagine."

The words escaped Jo's lips before she even grasped how they may hit the 'unrelenting neighbor boy.' Laurie had a look of obvious shock, and shaking off a slightly wounded look, he decided that if this was one of Jo's games that he was going to play along as well.

"Well, sir, I do say, what nerve the young gent has just waltzing into your house trying to take you away on a holiday, especially to a place like Europe, who would want to go there."

Laurie said this in utter sarcasm, but hoped that Jo would keep on. Feeling that the sober topic could use a little livening up, she did continue with their romp, however, she did not like the overt mockery that her boy was throwing her way.

"If you must know, I went to him, and that is where he made the European offer. I must of course consider it; for it is not every day that a lad such as myself is made an offer of this magnitude."

Laurie decided to try to obtain his answers in this manner, Jo was much more agreeable this way then by just having it out.

"What reasons would you have for not attending this fine retreat with the poor lad? Would you enjoy Europe more with your Aunt and that blasted Polly, perhaps."

Jo felt like the good old days were shining through and that there was a chance to begin anew. Hardly seeing that lovesick boy that proposed to her only yesterday, not far from where they were sitting now. Jo decided that she most likely could have a capitol time in Europe with this fun loving, slightly too devoted neighbor of hers.

"Well, for one I am certain that Aunt March would not propose marriage. And no Teddy, you would have always been my first choice to go with, but I am scared that this is just some trip planned to trap me into marrying you. I want to go, I truly do, but I need to know your motives."

Laurie placed his hand to her chin, and with eyes that softened with every passing moment, declared

"You sir, have broken character."


	6. Asking Marmee

_A/N: I do not really like the way that I touched on the New York trip, but I left it anyway! At the end of this, if you would be so kind to review, it is always appreciated. Thank you for all of the reviews that I have received, Ya'll are great!! _

_Laurie placed his hand to her chin, and with eyes that softened with every passing moment, declared_

"_You sir, have broken character."_

When the playful word left her partners lips, Jo felt herself rendered quite incapacitated. A simple and silly phrase that years ago would have been merely that, was now responsible for planting a seed in Jo that she could not abandon.

Looking back at Laurie with the most sincere smile, Jo said resolutely,

"I am going to March home straight away and speak with Marmee. I think that you may still be my boy after all!"

Marching down the lane to Orchard house, any onlooker could see the conquering smile on either of these two comrades. Jo feeling as if she may indeed have "her boy" back, and Laurie knowing that he may have found a pathway into the heart of his fondest friend, frolicked along gaily, their unspoken bond greater than ever. Neither of them spoke of, but both felt, a slight difference in Jo, and despite her efforts to deny it, she felt herself longing for another tender moment, and not so tender embrace from her handsome devotee.

…

Soon after parting with Laurie, Jo found herself pacing the hallway in front of her mother's bed room. Persuasion not one of her strengths, Jo nervously wrung her hands trying to find the proper words to say. Marmee looked up at her anxious daughter. Having been reported to by Beth this morning, Marmee knew of the tender troubles that Jo had suffered the day before. It was with a heavy heart that Marmee went to the hallway to retrieve her daughter.

"Jo dear, you are going to wear a hole in the carpet if you keep up like this"

Receiving a smile from Jo, Marmee invited her into the bedroom for a heart to heart. Jo fidgeted with anything that she could get her hands on, and kept her eyes downcast. Seeing the unconventional behavior from her most independent daughter hurt Mrs. March. The dear mother decided to break the tension by telling her daughter what she knew.

"Jo, I spoke with Beth this morning, and, well, cricket, I know."

Marmee's voice was consoling; Jo wished that her mother knew nothing of the events that had transpired yesterday, it would have been much easier to say what needed to be said. Closing her eyes, Jo prayed for the right words, and as nothing came to her, she decided that the one's she possessed would have to suffice.

"Marmee," Jo Paused "Laurie is going to leave. He is going to Europe."

Taking a deep breath before finishing her thought, Marmee broke in,

"I believe that may be for the best my love. As long as Theodore Laurence is next door, he will continue to think of only you. Things are different now between the two of you, and you both want different things for your lives. I think that as difficult as it may be, the best thing for you to do for your dear friend may be to let him go."

Jo wished that she had finished her thought before Marmee began to speak.

"I want to go with him."

Mother March was taken aback by this steadfast statement from her daughter. Thinking that she was coming to tell her of the refusal, and in need of consolation, the woman was perplexed. Marmee, normally so good at reading her daughters, did not understand why her daughter would refuse Laurie, then wish to join him in Europe.

"Jo, I know that you have always wanted to visit Europe, I think that a change of scenery may be in order. I have a dear friend in New York with two lovely young girls in need of a governess. I think that this new position may be just the answer to your tender troubles, and may be just the type of creative bed that you have been wanting for your writing."

With a small laugh, Jo felt comfort in her loving mother, one who always tries to heal any hardships that may befall any of her daughters with a loving kiss and well suited solution. Jo said with great hesitation,

"Marmee, I think that I am not being clear, I wish to go with Teddy to Europe. He has invited me to join him, and I think that I shall, with your blessing."

Jo saw her mothers lips press together firmly, as she has seen many times in the past, Marmee stated definitely,

"Jo, you do _not_ love Laurie."

"Marmee, I truly care for him, and it may develop into more given time, and anyway he promises to be a gentleman, or as much of one as Laurie can be anyway" Jo said with a sly smile and a hint of sarcasm, "and he has assured me that we are to go as we have been here for years, as friends."

Margaret March was astounded by her daughters reasoning. Did Jo care so much about this excursion to Europe that she had not thought of the feelings of her dearest friend?

"Jo, Laurie loves you, he has asked you to marry him. How can you expect him to go and act just as your friend, when you are clearly so much more to him?"

"But Marmee, Teddy asked me to go, I did not ask or pressure him, he had to convince me, and now I love the idea, and I want to go." Jo attempted to explain.

"Laurie wants more from you than friendship, and if you are not able to give what he asks of you, how can you think of taking what he is willing to give?" Mrs. March replied decisively.

"Marmee I told him that I would go."

Jo looked at her mother with pleading eyes. She began to think of the look on Laurie's face when she denied him her hand, and the thought of making him look at her like that once more, with such anguish, was simply too much.

"Jo, in your heart, you must know that this is not right. You need to go and let Laurie know that you have made a mistake."

"If I go to him with that, I will break his heart, I will break it for the second time in only two days!"

Jo said this to her mother with a passion that quieted the room. Crying her mother's fingers gently combed Jo's chestnut locks, and she compassionately told her second born,

"Better the second time in two days, than for the rest of his life."


	7. Despair and Hope

_A/N: Amy ruins everything! _

She heard the cheery knock on the front door of her home. Jo knew that knock, Jo knew her Laurie. She heard footsteps come up the stairs to the garret and the pit in Jo's stomach grew larger. Beth knocked at the door with a sweet little tap, and said with all of the compassion that any angel could possess,

"Laurie is here Jo, shall I send him up?"

Rushing to the door, Jo opened it slightly and replied,

"No, I cannot have him up here Beth, he can't see me like this, and I won't bear to talk to him at the present. Make him go, just tell him that I am ill, and cannot see him."

With a slightly disapproving look, Beth looked at her beloved sister and whispered,

"Do you think that he will believe that, you were in perfect health this morning?"

"Just tell him that I cannot see him, and I cannot explain why at the moment. I just need time to straighten all of this out Beth, I have made a mess of everything, and it seems that everything I touch turns to rubbish."

Beth did not know how to respond to her sister, she decided to adhere to her sister's wishes, and relay this message to the lovesick boy downstairs. Much to Jo's surprise, she heard the door close with no argument from Laurie, this was not at all expected. Why would Laurie not press to come in? Before she could finish her train of thought, she heard something hit the window to the garret. Wandering to the window, a pleased smile crossed Jo's face as she looked down to see that her Teddy had not left so easily. Jo opened the window at his charades,

"You do not look ill at all, Jo"

"Only in spirit I suppose, I need time to think."

Laurie hated to see the troubled look on her face, knowing that the most likely culprit of the trouble was the conversation that Jo held with Marmee this afternoon. After sitting in his bedroom for hours, with no news from her, Laurie decided that he must come.

"Can you take the time to think with me? I will come up if you want."

Laurie's hopeful eyes squinted in the sun.

"Marmee said no Teddy"

Jo blurted this out before she had time to think, relieved at once that it was out of her, however, this was not the way that she had intended to tell him.

"Come down Jo, or let me come up. I want to talk about this, we will find a solution. I can't bear this separation."

"Teddy, I don't know what there is to say, I-"

Before Jo could finish, she was interrupted but a very heated Laurie.

"Jo, There is so much to say between us, I love you, I want to be with you every minute of every hour of every day. I want you anyway I can have you, here, in Europe, as your friend, or your husband. I just, I just need you Jo, and I think that if you search your soul, you need me too."

Looking down at the handsome face of her neighbor, Jo thought over her actions and feelings from the past few days, and began to understand them much less now than before. Wanting nothing more than for him to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be alright, fickle Jo tried think with her heart.

"Come up, Teddy" was all that she said before disappearing from the window, and yelling down to Beth to please let him up.

In only moments, the two were face to face in the garret. Laurie began to speak,

"Jo, I am not trying to complicate your life, honest I am not, and I would never keep you from something that you loved, but if you are not going to come with me, please let it be your choice."

Laurie's features had never looked more striking than he did at that very instant, and Jo could not help but to fly into his arms. She rested her head upon his shoulder, and began to weep for a moment. Laurie stroked her back in an effort to be consoling, when he felt Jo's warm breath on his neck. The breathing slowly turned to quiet kisses. The wet lips on Laurie's neck thrilled Laurie, he was stunned at his girl's actions but was utterly satisfied at knowing that this was what she wanted at this moment. Looking into one another's eyes, Jo leaned her mouth onto Laurie's. She moved her hand to the back of his head and ran her fingers through his hair as she hungered for more than the kiss that she was offering. Laurie could not believe that this was happening, but was certainly not going to argue. Jo's free hand moved to the Laurie's waist and longing to touch his skin, she began to untuck his shirt. Breaking the kiss for only a moment, Jo looked at him and breathlessly whispered,

"Is this ok?"

Unable to give a verbal answer, Teddy nodded, and resumed the embrace, his hands ravaging her waist and back. Finally free from his belt, Jo placed her hand on Laurie's hip, and made her way to the small of his back. The motion of running her hand up and down the spine of his back set Laurie on fire, and made him let out a moan that was too loud for the little room. With this, he not so suddenly moved Jo to the sofa and with one swift motion he was on top of her.

Caressing her neck with his mouth, Jo used both hands to absorb every inch of the treasure that could be found under his shirt. Jo, letting out a sigh of delight, wrapped her right leg around Laurie's left. Caught in the moment, the lovers heard a little tap at the door.

Laurie and Jo looked at each other with sheer panic, and then, when their position began to sink in, both stood up, and in an effort to quickly right their clothing, the pair fell into laughter. Jo ran to the door, and opened it to find Amy.

"I was just checking on you, we heard an awful noise downstairs that sounded like one of you was screaming, and Marmee sent me to check."

Amy's voice began to slow toward the end of her statement as her eyes focused on a corner of Laurie's shirt hanging over the end of his pants. Unsure of what to make of it, but certain that that was not the way that he had entered the house only moments ago. Amy's look turned from concern to glairing suspicion. After being assured that both parties were fine, Amy left the room slowly, very obvious to push the door open just a few inches wider. Giggling Jo said,

"I think that she noticed your shirt"

Laurie moved back to Jo with no hesitation, and kissed her softly saying,

"I don't care Jo, I love you"

Returning to the kiss, Jo pulled away from him, with a gleam in her eye, Jo said softly,

"You were wrong Teddy"

"What do you mean?" Laurie said breathlessly with a hint of confusion.

"I am afraid that we do need a chaperone!"


	8. Feelings

After dinner that night, Jo felt that she would attempt to address the issue of traveling with Laurie to London once more. Following her mother and Hannah into the kitchen, Jo offered to take the dishes, which both of the elder women knew to be her least favorite task. Lost in a basin of dirty water, Jo looked down to see murky reflection. 'What am I doing?' Jo became lost in thought as she gazed into the emptiness that lay before her. Feeling exceedingly blissful in Laurie's embrace, she could not completely convince herself that the hunger that she was currently feeling for her boy was anything more than desires of the flesh. Jo tried to search her heart for an answer to the question that was plaguing her mind, 'do I _love_ him?' It seemed so easy to write characters being caught up in the passion that existed between two of them, however, she had never assumed in her writing that the passion that occurred began anywhere but their hearts.

There was a great uncertainty that lay ahead, and Jo did not know what to do. There were so many paths that could be taken, however, all that she could see were negative consequences found at the end each one. If Jo went with Laurie, she would disappoint her mother and possibly Laurie, if her heart would not make up its fickle mind. If Jo were to stay in Concord, She would give up her ticket to Europe, Teddy would leave her, and she would leave him with such insecure footing that his fragile heart may just shatter. If she went to New York, as Marmee had proposed, Jo may find the adventure that she had wished to find in Europe, but there would still be no Laurie. It seemed that despite the trail she was a wreck, and Jo did not seem to have the answers on how to untangle her monstrous web of uncertainty. The words that Laurie had spoken earlier rang throughout Jo's slender frame, "if you are not going to come with me, please let it be your choice." Without the blessing of Marmee, how could Jo consider this trip? No matter the decision, Laurie would have to understand that it _would_ be her choice and hers alone.

The silence was deafening and Jo could no longer bear it. Turning to face her mother and Hannah, Jo wrung her hands out on her apron, raised her chin and said,

"Marmee, I love you, and I respect your judgment above all else." Pausing to collect her thoughts, Jo continued, "You must know that I have a good head on my shoulders" following this statement a bit sheepishly "for the most part. I care a great deal for Teddy, and I believe that it is quickly flourishing into more. Please do not think that my wanting to travel with Laurie is just a way to get to Europe. I know that he wishes more from me, maybe in time, I don't know. I do so wish to go."

Marmee saw how difficult it was for her daughter to articulate those words.

"Jo, come and sit with me deary." The two took a seat at the kitchen table. "I wish nothing more for my girls than their happiness. I can no sooner keep you from going to Europe, than I can keep you from going to the heavens. I am merely here to guide you, cricket. I do not want to keep you from capturing your dreams; I only wish to ensure that the journey you choose is what you want."

Jo sat speechless, and cursed herself as she felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. Marmee placed her hand on her daughters warm cheek, and said tenderly,

"What do _you_ want my love?"

At that Jo could no longer dam the flood that was sure to come. With her head in her hands, she wept quietly. All of the passion, desire, fears, and disappointment rushed through her mind like a tornado. She had come into the kitchen on a mission, and was now in a state of uncertainty. All that she had to do was tell her mother that she wanted to be with Laurie, that she loved him, and all would be well. The chaos that was battling in Jo's little mind was too much to bear,

"I don't know Marmee, I just, I just don't know. I am afraid that no matter the choice it will be a mistake"

The kind mother consoled her sweet child and said,

"I do not wish to make your decision more difficult than it already seems to be, however, if you are not prepared to marry Laurie, than I think you may wind up doing a great deal more harm than good by accompanying him on this trip."

Mother March had a keen ability of understanding the hearts of her four young daughters, especially that of her wild girl. Jo looked up at her mother, and said carefully,

"I do think that I may be starting to love my Teddy, but I am afraid that I am not yet ready to marry him."

"I know that you will make the right choice, Jo. Get a good night's sleep, and look at this with fresh eyes tomorrow."

Her mother kissed Jo on the top of her crown, and left the room. Sitting alone at the table in her quiet kitchen, hearing the echoed voices of happiness from her little family emanating through the cozy home, Jo felt the queerest uneasiness resonate through her soul.


	9. A little time

_Hello again! Rereading my story I have found a lot of little inconsistencies and I want to apologize for that. I started this before I was pregnant and now have a one year old, so I believe that it may be time for an update. I felt like I had written myself into a corner after Jo spoke with Marmee, so this is taking a different direction than where I originally wanted to go, but I'm rolling with it. Thanks for continuing to read._

Jo awoke to the fresh morning light creeping into her cozy little room. With an actual night's sleep behind her, Jo March did seem to have a brighter outlook on the day that lay ahead of her. When last she left her boy, Laurie promised to give her all of the time needed to make a proper decision. Though Jo did not end yesterday with the clarity that she had wished her mother would give her, the lack of pressure made the forthcoming day palatable. Making her tiny bed and darning a light spring gown, Jo combed through her wild locks and hurried down the stairs for a little breakfast. The sounds of Beth's delicate hands stroking the keys to her piano filled the March home as Jo sat at the kitchen table to eat a small pear that she spied in the fruit bowl. She was looking forward to an uneventful day and was pleased to know that it had begun as such.

After moving to the living area, Jo picked up a sampler that she had been sewing on for months. After only two stitches, her mind began to drift to the previous week, before Laurie returned home from college. Lamenting that the plans that she had made to celebrate Laurie's heroic completion of schooling had never come to fruition. After not having seen her boy for two months, the two of them would have had one of their playful romps in the woods discussing all of the courses, classmates and silly girls that Laurie had encountered during their separation. They would drive about town and put on the play that Jo had slaved over. There were so many things, that to Jo, only seemed right with Laurie. How Jo wished that she could simply cross the hedge that separated the March and Laurence estates and ask her Teddy to a stroll. Reality had hit Jo, she knew that their rambles through the woods would never be the way that they used to be, that Laurie would never be the way that he used to be. There was a part of Jo that mourned what she had lost, however, another part of Jo was piqued by this newfound side of herself which Laurie seemed to have uncovered.

The sudden sound of the front door swinging open and the near song of Meg's voice echoing through the living room caught Jo very embarrassed, yet ecstatic all at once. In one quick motion Jo jumped out of the chair and was at the front door, arms around her very matronly eldest sister.

"Meg, you look tremendous" Jo said nearly breathlessly "Come, sit, tell us about married life" with another hug, the two young women retreated to the kitchen catch up on the events of the past week.

Beth entered the room with Amy following in tow and the March home was alive with excitement and childhood cheer. Meg looked rosy and well and had an air about her that Jo noticed, yet could not quite place.

"Girls, let's go on a picnic, John and I have brought our basket packed full, I needed a good dose of my sisters and thought that this was the perfect opportunity!"

As the two youngest girls gathered sun bonnets and blankets, Jo and Meg walked toward the front door. Meg could see that there was something troubling her sister. Jo was obviously very much excited but her mind appeared to be otherwise occupied and Meg was determined to discover the source of her sister's aloofness.

"Jo, is everything well, you seem a bit…" pausing to find the right word, Meg continued "distant."

Whispering quickly, Jo pulled Meg to the doorway,

"Oh Meg, life has turned upside down since you have left, you see-" Jo was cut off by Beth and Amy ready with their provisions. Meg patted Jo on the back, knowing that she hated the separation of her sisters. Feeling that she was the most likely cause of Jo's troubles, Meg hoped to ease her sister's tensions during her call today. With their arms packed, the sisters began to walk out of Orchard House, Amy looked curiously at Meg,

"Where is John, is he going to join us?"

"Oh, of course, he is just going to get Laurie, they did not get much of a chance to visit at the wedding and he was hoping to catch up today!" Meg replied.

Jo stopped in her tracks and as the girls continued to stroll up the lane, Jo tried to pull her heart out of the pit in her stomach. This seemingly uneventful day decided to take an unexpected turn. The last few days began to fly through Jo's mind and all at once she felt excited, scared and a little ill. The rest of Jo's party noticed that she had stopped and called her to come join them. As Jo reluctantly closed the door and follow her sisters, she caught a glimpse of John and Laurie walking toward the girls from the Laurence home.

Catching up to the whole party, Jo noticed that Laurie seemed incredibly intent on whatever it was that 'drippy Brooke' was saying. They forged ahead to their favorite shady spot and Jo became increasingly aware of the fact that Laurie had not turned to her once, not a word, not even a sly glance. As the gentlemen continued their conversation, the girls spread the blankets and began to disperse the food. Jo tried to stay focused on the task at hand, but she kept finding herself staring at Laurie, she would catch herself and quickly return to situating the task of setting up. At one point Meg took notice and decided to watch the peculiar behavior that had clearly possessed her sister. Jo walked around nervously, picking things up only to place them back where she had found them. Failing miserably trying to be of help, Jo took a seat next to Beth, and watched John and Laurie walk as they continued their conversation. The two men stopped right behind Jo and Beth under the generous branches of the large oak tree. Laurie leaned against a tree and discussed his business courses with a fervor and seriousness that was incredibly out of character. Meg asked the boys to take a seat and Laurie stretched out his lean frame no more than two feet from where Jo had just rested. Feeling so uncomfortable, Jo could not decide what to do with her hands, no matter what she did with them, they seemed to be in the way. Jo tried to place her hands in her pockets, fold them across her body, adjust her hat, everything that she did felt so contrived. Why on God's green earth was Jo so out of sorts? In a conscious effort to not appear as awkward as she felt, Jo finally decided to place the offending body parts casually at her sides.

"How does it feel to be finally finished Laurie?" Meg questioned

"Well I couldn't wait to get home…" was all that Jo heard before her attention was derailed. As he continued this thought, Laurie gestured using his left hand for emphasis, and without skipping a beat he pulled his right arm away from his body and placed it on the ground in such a way that the his pinky finger grazed the side of Jo's hand. This touch was so minute that it would not typically be noticed, however, she found herself rendered completely unable to think about anything else. Her entire mind was consumed by the softest, smallest touch. Jo tried to search Laurie's face, but could not tell whether or not this was intentional. As Laurie continued with his conversation, he slightly shifted his weight making the edge of his finger move slightly atop Jo's hand. She felt certain that he was aware of what he was doing, and certain that he could not have known the effect that it had on her. Jo was astounded by his calm appearance. As he continued to talk, his finger slowly glided atop Jo's hand. This contact ignited Jo; suddenly she remembered vividly the feel of his skin under her finger tips, which led her to recall the sweet, salty taste of his neck. Jo felt as though an unstoppable flood of feelings had engulfed her.

Her heart was racing so quickly that she was certain that it could be heard by the others. Allowing her imagination to slip a bit further, Jo felt the fingertips of her boy lightly caress her neck slowly down to the nape. His lips met his fingers and Laurie softly retraced the path that his fingers had previously made until his warm breath was on her ear. Jo tried to bring herself back to reality, but she was too far gone. She began to carefully unbutton his shirt and slowly, gratefully touched the skin that lay underneath. Their lips found one another, this one, Jo took straight from memory. "Jo, Jo…" strangely didn't sound like Laurie, hearing her name once more jolted her back to the present.

"Jo, where _is_ your head Jo?" hearing the words escape Amy's lips she wondered how long her sister had been trying to get her attention.

"In the clouds as usual" Jo replied with a nervous laugh. She could feel the heat in her cheeks; she could also feel five sets of eyes upon her. Jo was keenly aware that she had captured Laurie's attention and for the first time on this day their eyes met. Certain that her glance would bear more than she wished to share, Jo immediately turned to the other onlookers.

"Jo dear, are you feeling alright, your face is looking awfully flushed?" Meg exclaimed.

"I think that I may go home to lie down, I am not feeling quite myself today I'm afraid." Jo stood up and began to excuse herself when she heard Meg say,

"Laurie, would you please be a dear and escort our Jo home?"

After a slight pause, Laurie replied "Certainly Meg, your chariot my lady" Laurie said as he offered his arm to Jo.

"That is not necessary, I make this trip often and I don't need a chaperone" with a look of terror, Jo clarified, "I mean an escort." Jo was furious with herself for making the slip in words, Laurie had completely distorted her clarity and she did not understand how he was making her feel as such. Meg made an insistent gesture to both of them that Jo knew they must obey and she grudgingly took Laurie's arm.

The moment the couple was out of eyeshot Jo immediately retrieved her arm from her partner.

"I'm fine Laurie, you should go back, you looked like you were having a grand time." Jo felt so flustered, she needed time. The time had nothing to do with Europe, Jo needed time to get these ridiculous feelings that were invading her otherwise reasonable mind to just go away.

"I'm not going back Jo. Talk to me what is going through that mind of yours?" Laurie said in a pleading tone.

"I will not. You said that you would give me time, I hardly consider this enough." Jo meant what she said, with a determination in her voice that Laurie knew all too well.

"Jo, be fair, I hardly came here to pressure you. Brooke asked me to the picnic, what should I have said?"

"You should have respected me enough to keep your promise" Jo replied defiantly. By this time, they had made it to the kitchen door of the March home. Jo went through the door and made an attempt to close it behind herself. Laurie caught the door and with a firm hand, he tenderly grabbed Jo's wrist.

"Honestly, what would you have liked for me to say? 'I am sorry John, Jo needs a little time away from me, I can't come with you' I'm not sure how well that would go over. Generally when I come home from school we're inseparable." Laurie caught Jo's eyes once more, she pulled from his grasp moving to the sink and trying to look at anything but Laurie.

"I think that he would understand that, John Brooke has spent enough time with you to understand needing a bit of a separation." Jo broke her serious demeanor unable to keep from smiling. Realizing that her argument was beginning to fall apart she turned toward him quickly adding, "Why wouldn't you leave my hand alone?"

"Is that what had you so distracted?" Laurie replied with a sly smile, walking toward her. He stopped right in front of her placing his hand on the counter behind her back.

"No, no, no." Jo stepped aside laughing. "No reasonable discussion could possibly come from us standing in that position."

"All right, if it is reasonable Laurie that you want, it is reasonable Laurie that you will get. We can't just stand around here starving. Would you like to go back and join the others, or would you prefer that I muster up something around here?" Laurie stared at his comrade for an answer.

"I think that we shall go back, just to ensure all that this March sister has not gone mad." Standing on the tips of her toes, Jo placed a chaste peck on Laurie's cheek for putting up with her antics.

Laurie and Jo left Orchard House arm in arm in a scene that the quaint little home had seen many times in the past. What any onlooker could not be privy to were the changes brewing inside of this pair of lifelong friends.

_If you made it this far, please leave a little review. Feel free to make any suggestions, etc. Thanks, I am working on the next chapter now, so it should not be a year before the next update!_


	10. Dangerous Ramblings

**A/N: well, here is chapter 10, this thing is never going to end. Thank you to everyone that read my latest edition. I am also working on a chapter of "The Letter," hopefully that will be out later this week. Please review if you have a moment!**

After the picnic everyone parted ways, saying their goodbyes. Laurie and John followed the Ladies to Orchard House to visit with Mister March. Jo ran up the stairs quickly, threw her sun bonnet and apron on her little twin bed and retreated to the garret. Though life had taken several unexpected turns over the past week, Jo had several real life details that would add a bit of flair to her stories. Donning her writing hat, Jo decided to pull out her most recent manuscript. She had recently stopped at the love scene between her characters Abigail and her very wealthy and handsome patient, Nathaniel.

Jo began to write feverishly,

_Abigail was alone at last. She leaned against the dresser, removed her hat and sighed to herself, reminded of the events of the day. Nathaniel had fully recovered and would soon be leaving the hospital, he would soon be leaving her. Abigail's heart ached, this should not concern her, how could a man of Nathaniel's status possibly care for a woman such as herself? Abigail cursed herself for allowing these feelings to interfere with her position, she should simply be pleased that she was able to save his life and that he could leave the hospital, what more could she ask for._

_Hearing a creak on the floor behind her, Abigail quickly turned and was shocked to see the attractive man that had been plaguing her thoughts. Nathaniel slowly approached Abigail, the closer he came, the faster her heart pounded. Placing a hand on the surface behind Abigail's back, Nathaniel said_

"_I could not leave without expressing my gratitude." _

_With those words, he leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on Abigail's cheek. Their eyes met, soon followed by their lips. Nathaniel slowly took his hands from Abigail's sides and placed them around her back, pulling her body to his. Abigail exhaled a gasp, she could not believe that this was happening. Nathaniel broke from her kiss and brought his mouth to her ear, he whispered, _

"_Is this alright, Abby?"_

_It must have been a combination of being called 'Abby' and the warm breath on her ear that brought the situation to reality. Pushing him away, Abigail said_

"_Nathaniel, I want this so badly, but I don't think that this is right"_

Jo scowled at the manuscript, throwing caution to the wind, she decided to be rid of all of this reasonable nonsense for the moment and impulsively scratched through the last line that Abigail had spoken, and with the bite of her bottom lip Jo continued.

"_Yes" was all that she could mutter._

_Abigail then placed one hand on Nathaniel's back and once again eliminated the space between the two of them. Running the fingers of her other hand through his hair, their embrace became much more passionate. Abigail felt weak in her knees, knowing that the stronghold that her lover had on her just might be the only thing keeping her from the floor. Abigail could feel her body being lifted onto the dresser, the kiss was broken once more. Nathaniel's eyes met hers, searching them to ensure that he was not exceeding his boundaries, Abigail's eyes showed a fear and excitement that told him to continue very cautiously. Nathaniel placed one hand on each of Abigail's knees, leaned forward and began to kiss her neck slowly, yet with fervor, Abigail knew that she may be in this too deep. As Nathaniel continued to kiss her neck, he followed the imaginary line from her earlobe down to her neck. Abigail felt the space between her knees continually increasing, being replaced by an eager Nathaniel. Before they knew it, their bodies were touching once more. _

_Nathaniel leaned Abigail's neck back and traced her collarbone with his mouth, ensuring to cover every inch. He placed an arm on her lower back and pulled her as close as they could possibly be to one another and began to move his hips. With his other arm, Nathaniel placed his hand back on her knee and slowly began to pull her skirts up onto the counter. With her skirts fully out of the way, Abigail made quick work of freeing Nathaniel's shirt from her pants, and touching the glorious skin that lay beneath. Nathaniel began to unbutton the tedious buttons on the front of Abigail's simple dress. Something that Abigail had never felt before had overpowered her. Finally finished with the buttons, Nathaniel slid Abigail's dress off of her arms, allowing it to rest behind her buttocks. With their bodies moving in unison, Abigail was not completely conscious to the fact her thin pantaloons were the only thing keeping her body from being totally exposed._

_With little effort, Nathaniel was down to his trousers. Abigail had never seen a man's bare chest before and examined it thoroughly with her hands. Nathaniel began to unfasten his trousers, allowing them to fall to the floor. Both parties were keenly aware that there was nothing between them but two very thin, undergarments. Nathaniel embraced Abigail, lifting her from the dresser and carrying her to her tiny, well kept bed. Lying nearly completely on top of her, Nathaniel's fingers found their way to Abigail's chest. As he gently messaged her previously untouched chest, she could not help but lean back in a near moan, _

"_Oh, Teddy _

Very flushed, Jo pushed herself away from the offending paper and tried steady her breath. When she finally straightened out her thoughts just a bit, Jo looked back at the page and with a horrified gasp, viciously wrote through Teddy's name until it was nothing but an ink stain. Satisfied, Jo stood and picked up the novella and rereading the portion that she had just written began to redden. There were a few changes that would need to be made, but at this moment, she wanted to relish a few lingering feelings. Jo walked over to her favorite three-legged sofa and sat, curling her legs behind herself and leaning on the threadbare arm. Becoming so engrossed in her own ramblings, she did not hear the steps to the garret creaking or the door slowly open. Jo however was completely caught off guard when a shadow appeared on her paper, making it completely unreadable.


	11. Pleading

_A/N: Hello again! I am sorry that I have been so long in updating. Honestly, I was reading some fics from another genre and became fully invested in one, got to the end, and it was not complete and had not been updated in a long while. Then I realized that I had done the exact same thing! I now see the error of my ways, and promise to get to work on the next chapter tonight. I am hoping to wrap this story up pretty soon (but I also thought that around chapter 4, so we shall see). Thank you for reading, please review if you have a moment! –Mere_

…

Turning to see the figure that completely blocked her source of light, Jo was both shocked and embarrassed to discover that it was Laurie. Instinctively Jo folded the papers in an attempt to hide the words that were meant for no eyes but her own. The red that colored her cheeks was much more noticeable than it had been, she was incredibly concerned to know how much Laurie had read, or if he had read any of it at all for that matter.

"What are you doing up here?" Jo exhaled with a sting that no one could miss.

"I have just come up to see what had you so engaged," Laurie said as he playfully grabbed the papers from Jo's hands and began to read.

"Give me that" Jo demanded as she attempted to snatch it back, "Laurie, I'm warning you."

Laurie held the papers with his arms straight up in the air and caught the glimpse of a few phrases; he tried very hard to continue reading. With Jo jumping and swatting, it was near impossible to catch more than a word here or there. Laurie was fascinated by what Jo would try so hard to hide from him, and even more so when he was able to make out pieces of it. Jo finally grabbed under Laurie's arm and pinched, the desired reaction occurred: a wincing Laurie dropped the document to the ground.

"Blazes Jo, that smarts. I was only teasing you and had no idea how seriously you would take it. I must say though that whatever that is must be scandalous if you wish me not to see it that badly." Laurie said, holding his point of injury, the playful attitude with which he had entered the room was nowhere to be found.

"It's just a story that I am trying out, it's not worth all of this drama, you simply caught me off guard, that's all." Jo said, hoping to put this curiosity to bed. Regaining her composure, Jo took the offending work over to her little desk and placed it in the top drawer. Turning toward Laurie, she added,

"Why don't we go downstairs and join the others?" Not meaning it as a request, Jo began to walk toward the garret door, hoping that Laurie would be a reasonable lad and follow suit. She was stopped by a slight pressure on her arm.

"Jo," Laurie began, still a little vexed by his attacker, "Why did you try so hard to keep it from me if it was 'just a story?' It certainly looked like more."

Jo made no obvious attempt to answer his question, Laurie donned his most devilish smile, adding "I have read a great many of your stories, and none of them involved kissing collarbones." Jo's eyes flashed a fire that Laurie knew was likely to spark a passion. He never knew where this passion may take them, however, he was more than willing to strike the hornet's nest. After a few more moments of silence, he of course decided to push the issue. Regaining his previously playful self he added, "If I did not know you better, I would have to say that I caught glimpse of a love scene, and in your pen no less! Maybe I should see for myself, shall I?" With a mischievous laugh Laurie made way to the top drawer of Jo's desk.

Within a moment Jo was there also, she placed her hand on Laurie's arm and with pleading eyes simply said, "Teddy, please."

Laurie was taken aback. This was certainly not the reaction that he had expected. He thought that surly Jo would strike him or much less likely, but possible, kiss him. No, what he saw in Jo's eyes was pain. He worried that this may not be only about the manuscript; there was a distinct possibility that he had simply pushed her too far over the past few days. He realized that whatever it was, it was obviously important to Jo that he leave it be. In that moment, he felt a bit ashamed of his actions since he had entered the little room.

"I'm sorry Jo, truly. I guess I thought that we were just playing, as we always have." Laurie placed his hand atop hers but it was not allowed to linger as he had wished. Jo pulled from him and began pacing the room, her eyes focused on the floor, chewing on her thumb nail.

Jo stopped and looked at him for just a moment repeating, "_as we always have_." With a sigh the pacing continued. Laurie leaned his frame against the little desk and sighed in turn. He knew that this conversation was not going in a direction to his liking.

"Why has this all become so hard, Teddy?" Jo asked rhetorically. "I don't even know what I want anymore. I have these feelings awakening inside of myself and I don't know what to do with them. I just want to go back to the way things were," with a pause in both speech and pacing, Jo said quietly, "but that can never happen now, can it?"

She looked up, not knowing whether she wanted an answer. Their eyes met. For a few tortured moments the pair stared at one another as if they were at a crossroads and only the other knew the path to salvation. Laurie sighed heavily once more.

"It's not enough for me." Laurie closed his eyes and lowered his would-be gaze to the floor as if preparing himself to take the fatal blow that he felt imminent.

Jo walked to Laurie and took her place beside him against the desk. Still unsure what to do with them, she crossed her arms. They both faced forward. There was a heaviness in the air that seemed to nearly suffocate them both.

"If you are looking toward the future and I wish for the past, where does that leave us?" Jo asked, longing for a solution.

"In this hell of a present, I suppose." Laurie added with a defeated tone. Minutes passed in silence. Jo uncrossed her arms and feeling that she needed to brace herself, gripped the edge of the oak on either side.

"I cannot go. Not until I am sure of what this is. I will not do that to you." It was now Jo's turn to speak with closed eyes. She feared that these meager words were insufficient, but they were all that she could muster. Laurie winced at these statements.

"What this is?" Laurie asked, giving a slight glance in Jo's direction.

"This. Us. I have spent years alone in your presence and suddenly I don't trust myself with you. I want to go back to the way that we have been, however, I also long to relive recent," Jo paused uncomfortably, their eyes met as she continued, "events. I need to know _what this is._"

Laurie wanted nothing more than to draw her into his arms and repeat those memories, possibly even add to them. He knew that if he did that, and by the look in her eyes he honestly felt that he could in this moment, it would only serve to delay answering Jo's question. Why couldn't she see it as clearly as he did? _This_ is obviously love, they are the best of friends and have enough chemistry to fill all of the texts in creation. How could anyone ask for more than that? Laurie moved his hand on top of Jo's and tried to form these very words, but his mouth would not allow him to speak.

Jo felt Laurie's hand, she had no urge to push it away. There was such a comfort in his touch. S he had often felt comfort in her best friend's presence, in his words, in his company, only now did she realize the gentle easing that could be found in something as simple as this. Jo knew that the warmth that she felt deep within in combination with the fire that she was currently able to keep at bay had to be the beginning of something big, but what if she was wrong? They fought like cats at times, and neither could keep their temper. Would time answer her questions, or would she have to take the plunge one way or the other? What if they did marry and that fire, that passion extinguished, what would be left? She smiled as she realized the answer. He would still be the best friend that she has ever known.

Jo turned her palm toward his and they interlocked their fingers. In unison, almost as if being directed, they both let out a slight sigh. Turning to one another, they laughed. Laurie placed his forehead against Jo's willing himself to tell her, shake it into her if he had to, but once more, nothing came. Jo felt her lips tingle with his nearness; she could feel her uneasy breathing. Laurie pulled their entangled hands up to his lips and slowly kissed each of her knuckles without losing contact with her eyes. Laurie could feel Jo's breath catch even more frequently now. He loved that he could elicit such a response from her, as she had long since had that power over him. Jo's eyes left Laurie's, and began to examine his very inviting lips, that were causing the dam of her resolve to weaken with every feather light kiss.

"I want you so badly, Teddy" Jo said in an almost inaudible whisper. Her eyes pleading once more, but now for an entirely different reason.

With a gasp and smile whose beam replaced the sunlight that had nearly completely left the room, Laurie said, "I love you, Jo. I-"

The door to the garret opened with Meg announcing "here you two are!" John followed. As soon as the statement left her mouth, Meg wished that she had had the decency to knock. Jo quickly broke her hand free and stood trying to act as normal as the situation would allow. Laurie did not move.

With ample concern, Meg said "I hope that we were not interrupting, John and I had not seen either of you all afternoon and thought that we would come up for a visit."

When neither of them answered in any fashion, Meg and John began to feel a bit uncomfortable. Meg could sense this morning that there was something quite off about Jo, however she had surmised that the dear was troubled by her absence. It became very obvious that Meg's absence was the least of Jo's worries, and that her troubles were of a much more serious nature.

Jo, finally righting her frame of mind, answered her sister. "Meg, don't be silly, you are not interrupting anything at all, and we would love to visit!"

Laurie stood, and Jo could not help to see the look of seriousness that replaced his previous joy. He addressed all three, however stared solidly at Jo, "no, nothing at all." With a curt smile, he continued addressing Meg and John, "Sadly, it is getting late, and Grandfather will be expecting me." Without another word or a look in Jo's direction, Laurie left the little garret.


	12. Chapter 12

Jo watched him leave not knowing whether to run after him or stay where she was. The shock of his words had grounded her giving her no choice but to stay. She could feel the two curious sets of eyes on her but she had too much to worry about between Laurie's heart and her own to be troubled by them. Jo finally freed her feet from the floor and went to the little window, trying to catch a glimpse of Laurie. She had obviously hurt him, but did not understand why he had reacted so strongly. Surely he knew that she did not think that what they were discussing was _nothing, _she just wanted to be hospitable. The past few days had left them both on edge. Perhaps it had just been too much. Jo had let her guard down earlier and did not quite know if the intrusion was more of a relief or a frustration.

Jo's thoughts were derailed as she saw Laurie appear through the window. He had just made it to the hedge when he stopped and turned back toward Orchard House. With an audible gasp from Jo, Meg and John both joined her at the window. Before Laurie reached the door to the March home he paused and looked down for a moment, then turned once more and returned to his home with no further detours. Jo was brought back to reality when she turned from the window and bumped into her brother-in-law.

"I'm so sorry, John, it seems that I am out of sorts today." Jo laughed it off, and tried to make her way to the door before having to explain herself. Having wished for nothing more than to confide in Meg this morning, she felt differently now. Somehow everything seemed too complex for words.

"Don't think twice about it Jo, shall I leave you and Meg to talk?" John asked Jo, yet looked to his wife for a response.

"No-" Jo started, but was cut off quickly.

"Yes John, why don't go down and see father, he has been dying for some male companionship and Lord knows that he doesn't find it around here often." Meg suggested with kiss on his cheek. John understood her so well.

As the girls watched John leave, Jo became very anxious. Never needing to keep anything from her sister in the past, she wondered how much of these past days she should share with Meg. Jo nervously paced the floor, she paused to look up at her sister as if to start, then continued pacing. Meg sat patiently watching her sister.

"Meg, I tried to talk to you earlier, I don't know if it would have been any better then. I have no idea where to begin" Jo continued pacing, worry covering her face.

"It is alright Jo, I am here for as long as you need me. You can tell me anything." Meg's voice had a calming effect on her sister.

She walked over to the little couch and took a seat, Meg was already seated to her left. Jo looked Meg in the eyes and smiled, knowing that she could indeed tell her sister anything.

"I know Meg, I am so grateful to have you. I suppose that I should begin on your wedding day." Meg smiled at the memory of that beautiful day as Jo began her tale. "It was a lovely afternoon as you know and Laurie had just graduated. We met walking through the woods which was not uncommon, but things somehow turned serious very quickly. He, he," Jo did not know how to proceed, yet decided that it may be best to just get it out there. "Teddy asked me to marry him that day-"

Before Jo could finish, Meg jumped up and congratulated her sister with hugs and kisses. Jo was playfully chastised for not having told her sooner. She could feel the heat rise to her face and her eyes could no longer meet her sister's. Meg noticed a change in Jo and realized that she certainly did not play the role of the loving fiancé this morning, and Laurie was not at all pleased when he left not long ago. Meg sat back down and took Jo's hand.

"Jo, I don't understand -"

"I refused." Jo could not get the words out quickly enough. Meg's mouth was agape as if that scenario had never entered the realm of possibilities in her mind.

"It's actually more complicated now. I was worried that the blasted proposal would ruin our friendship. So, that evening I went to his house to try and talk some sense into him, make him see reason." Jo realized that her plan was flawed upon retelling it.

"Oh, Jo, you didn't?" Meg asked, astonished at her sister's actions. Jo had always been bold, impulsive, but this was on different level, Poor Laurie.

"I did, I'm afraid." Jo replied sheepishly. "Once I arrived and saw him, I instantly lost my resolve. I could see the hope in his eyes, he thought that I may have come to recant my refusal. I have no idea what I was thinking.

"He kissed me Meg. I was caught completely off guard, but I knew that I had to get my point across. We argued which somehow brought us to more kissing and Teddy asking me to join him in Europe. It all happened so fast."

Jo was interrupted by an astonished Meg.

"Wait, Jo, you refused Laurie's proposal and he asked you to Europe?"

With a nervous smile, Jo continued her tale. "Well, yes. When we spoke more of it, I told myself that we could go on as friends, as we used to, I knew that he felt differently. I really saw this as an opportunity to hold onto the fun and adventure that Teddy and I have always shared. When I asked Marmee, she told me that she thought that I cared more for Laurie than to hurt him outright. I know that she did not mean it as such, well perhaps she did, but she accused me of taking advantage of his emotions for a trip to Europe. That was not my intention, Meg, truly. She had a valid point though, and I had deluded myself into thinking that this was just an offer to go on a trip, when I knew in my heart all along that he was only asking to persuade me further.

"I told Teddy that I could not go, and to my surprise he said that he did not care, he wanted me anywhere, any way that he could have me. From then on, every time that we were alone together, we could not keep away from one another. I had developed such strong feelings for him, feelings that I did not know I was capable of having. I just don't know if it is love.

"Meg, I cannot bear the thought of being without him, but I hate the thought of being someone's wife."

Jo looked at Meg, hoping that she could give her the answers that she needed, hoping that she could tell Jo what to do. Meg winced slightly at the distain that Jo held for her position, but had more questions for her younger sister.

"What of today, Jo? This morning you were so distant, and when we came in?"

"Well, I spoke to Marmee once more, she told me that it was my decision, but if I was not prepared to marry him, then it may be a mistake. Teddy promised to give me time to think, but then he was right there at the picnic, I know that he wanted to see you and John. I just wanted him to leave me be for a bit to sort out this mess of feelings. This afternoon we had a serious discussion." Jo smiled, thinking about the story and Laurie's reaction to finding it, she felt that Meg did not need to know _everything_. Jo looked at Meg, her face in a near frown. "I want the past and he wants a future that I don't know if I can live up to. I am just afraid Meg, or have been."

"Oh?" Meg felt that she needed to fill the temporary silence with something, but could this was all that she could manage.

"At first I thought that I could never feel for him the way that he wants me to, the way a wife should for a husband. That fear has passed, but that led to a deeper worry. What if we were to marry and these passionate feelings left us, what would we be then? Condemned to a place where we are miserably attached to one another, neither of us free?" Jo could not meet Meg's eyes at this statement, she was still in the midst of marital bliss and Jo was speaking of it as if marriage were a penitentiary.

"Jo-" Meg sighed and rubbed her sister's arm. "You and Laurie have always been the best of friends, if you were to marry him that would not change."

"What if it did? What we have is nothing like a man and wife. I am silly and boyish, together we are incredibly mischievous. I would make an awful wife, I hate house work, there are so many reasons why Teddy should have…should never have asked me." With her eyes staring straight into Meg's, Jo finished, "I know that I will disappoint him."

"Have you discussed this with him, Jo?" Meg asked.

"Not this exactly. Meg, I have hopelessly destroyed my plan to remain friends. It is impossible now." Jo paused, "Right before you and John came in I told Teddy that I wanted him, I'm afraid that I meant it. This could all be so right if only I could see myself marrying."

"You speak of marriage as if it is a jail sentence, Jo. If you truly care for Laurie and cannot imagine yourself without him, there is hardly a reason _not _to wed." Meg said rather passionately.

"Hardly a reason." Jo repeated with scorn. "Meg, I want so much more from my life than to be Mrs. Theodore Laurence. I can't allow myself to be swallowed whole by marriage and live forever in the shadow of a man, no matter how I feel about him. I want my works and accomplishments to mean something.

"It may start as love, then one compromise leads to another and suddenly you are nothing but the little woman bidding her husband a good day as he goes out to face the adventures of the world and you stay home to wrangle his children. That's not for me." She looked out the window toward the Laurence home, wishing that she could feel like any other girl that had won Laurie's heart, as many had tried.

"Jo, surely Laurie would allow you to write and pursue your passions." Meg stated

"I should hardly want anyone to _allow _me to do anything." Jo replied with her arms crossed, still staring out of the window.

Meg tried to think of something that she could say, something that may reach Jo. Meg was certain that if Jo did refuse Laurie for good that they would not remain friends and Laurie would leave and eventually. Jo would be alone and miserable in the life that she had dreamed for herself. She went to her sister and began to pet her mane.

"Jo, would you rather to lose him?" Meg asked in a very pointed tone. Meg felt that her sister would benefit from her true feelings, that is what she asked for, after all. "I have known that you have long since wanted to remain unmarried and work to support yourself. Those are wonderful ideals, but dear, I am afraid that if you follow that path, you will surely regret it. Laurie will _not_ remain in his grandfather's house just to be your friend, Jo. You have all but told me that you love him, you need to go tell him that, tell him of your hesitations.

"Jo, I do not doubt your talents or that you will be successful. I just do not want visit you in ten years to find you in this big house all alone. I am sorry for the harsh words, I only want the best for you, truly. Please don't be so stubborn as to give up happiness."

Meg agreed with everything that she had said, however, did not know that she should have been so blunt with her sister. Jo pulled her knees to her chin and thought over the words that her sister had just delivered. The two sat in the garret in silence for what seemed hours. There was a light knock on the little door, and once beckoned, John entered.

"Meg, dear, the hour is very late, I feel that we should be getting home." He said carefully.

Meg embraced Jo with all of the love that she had in her heart. Meg pulled Jo's chin up until their eyes met.

"Remember what I said Jo," Meg said with a kiss on the forehead. "And talk to him." Meg added over her shoulder as she joined her hand with that of her new husband. As they began to leave the garret, Meg said "know that I love you, Jo. If you need me, I am always here for you." With that sentiment, Meg was gone and Jo was once again alone.


	13. The Grove

Laurie left the garret and climbed down the two flights of stairs required to exit the March home. He quickly passed the sitting room which housed Amy, Beth and Mother March. Laurie could not risk speaking to anyone at the present as the well of emotions in his body was threatening to overflow. Leaving the little house, Laurie began his short trip home. He thought of Jo telling Meg and John that they had interrupted nothing. Was it nothing, was he mistaken by what he heard. Had Jo not just admitted to wanting him? It was not exactly what he wished to hear, however, he would gladly take want from Jo any day.

He stopped at the hedge between their homes and realized that he had really put Jo through quite a bit this week. He would do anything to please her, and for the sake of his idiotic pride he had just walked out on her in front of family. Laurie turned back toward Orchard House, he needed to apologize. She had said that in marriage they would only quarrel, and he was doing a fine job of affirming that. Approaching the door, he placed his hand on the knob and decided that this would be best saved for the morning. Neither of the pair had slept well recently, and Jo was surely still with Meg, it would not do to interrupt them. Laurie turned once more toward his home and quickly fled, lest his heart were to overtake and change his mind.

…

Jo was left all alone in the garret after her sister and brother-in-law left for the evening. Meg's words were not likely to leave her anytime soon.

_Would you rather lose him, Jo?_

Jo's eyes swelled with tears at the thought of losing her boy. Like Meg said, he will not remain next door as only her friend. Laurie had told her tonight that he needed more, and though it was what she had been fighting for, what they were in the past could no longer satisfy her. She could not lose him, she must speak to him. Afraid that the events of tonight may have injured him unnecessarily, Jo vowed to go to him first thing in the morning. No, she would not lose him and she would do anything to keep him.

…

Jo awoke very early the next morning, pleasantly surprised to have finally found some rest. The war between Jo's head and heart had been settled and there was finally peace among adjoining nations. The daylight that poured through the window washed over her, allowing her to revel in the beauty of the day. Jo bathed and dressed, taking a little extra care in her appearance. Quietly descending the stairs, Jo was met by Hannah and Marmee who were both shocked to see the girl up so early. Hannah had just started on breakfast for the two and Jo was told that an egg or two could easily be added. The ladies ate in a comfortable silence. Once they had finished, Hannah took the plates to the sink and Marmee stood to pour a cup of coffee for herself.

"What are you doing up and dressed at this hour?" Marmee asked with a knowing tone. She understood her daughter better than anyone and realized that there had been a noticeable change in Jo.

"Marmee, I am going to speak with Laurie. I am not sure how or what to say yet, but I am going to." Jo blushed and looked toward the ground for only a moment. "I love him. I really do, and it has taken a lot of convincing on Laurie's part and self-reflection on mine, but I do truly want _him_." She sighed, "I do not feel ready to marry, Marmee, and I worry for his reaction. After speaking with Meg last night, I realized that I need to communicate my reservations."

Mother March smiled at Jo, placing her arms on her shoulders and a kiss on her crown. "I think that a wise thing to do, my dear. I am so happy for you and will support you in any way that you need. I am certain that once you share the contents of your hearts that you will find the best path already laid before you."

"Thank you, and thank you for the breakfast, Hannah. This was a perfect way to start this day." She did not leave before offering a kiss and warm embrace to both women. Jo left through the back door and decided to enjoy her morning outside while she waited for a decent time to visit next door.

…

Laurie thought that he may need to take to sleeping days if his nights were going to continue on this restless path. He awoke before the sun but stayed in bed until the full light of morning had saturated his room. He could not shake the incongruities in their last conversation. Jo had said that she wanted to remain friends, then that she wanted him and she told Meg that she had walked in on nothing, _nothing._ Despite the number of times that he replayed this in his mind he could not make sense of it. The only thing that he could assimilate was that he misheard her when she had uttered those soft words.

Dressing, Laurie decided that today would be a good day to truly give Jo space. It is what she craved, time to think, time to decide his destiny. He went downstairs and took a slice of bread from the kitchen and left the house. He needed time to think as well, he needed time to time to reformulate his plan. He needed time to consider a life without Jo.

…

From her back step, she could see Laurie leave the house. He walked with steps of determination. She began to call for him, but his swift pace was too quick. Jo decided to follow him into the woods and see where he would lead them. After a few minutes on this path, their destination suddenly struck Jo, she was following Laurie to the grove. She suddenly felt like an intruder and wondered if it was right to continue following him. Jo was never one to give up on a pursuit once she had settled on an idea and continued to follow. Once Laurie finally reached the old fence post, he turned and sat with his back against it. He then laid his head down on his enfolded arms. Jo watched for what could not have been more than several minutes, yet the time trickled by so slowly. She saw no movement of any type, and felt that it would be far better to approach him than to leave him. She swallowed deep and mustered up all of the bravery that she could find.

"Fancy meeting you here." Jo said with a smile as she walked toward him. Laurie's head bolted up, swiftly followed by his body.

"Jo, what are you doing here, and so early." He could think of little else to say. His heart began to race and he wondered why she had come. As she continued toward him, he realized that it did not matter why she had come, she had come here to him and there was nothing else in the world that mattered.

"I was just taking a little stroll, enjoying this fresh summer air, isn't the weather fantastic." Jo said in an unusually cheery manner.

"Jo, we are hardly those that talk about the weather, you expect me to believe that you woke up this early for a stroll and just happened to come here?" Laurie asked in a slightly accusatory manner.

Jo had finally reached him. She leaned her back against the fence post and turned her head to face him. "I was actually outside this morning and I followed you."

Laurie was taken aback by Jo's frankness. He leaned against the fence in the same manner that she had, their shoulders nearly touching. He looked straight forward and simply said "Oh." He was slightly embarrassed by the compromising position that she had discovered him in.

"I was waiting for you outside, well, for a decent hour to call on you actually. You left the house so quickly that you were out of sight before I could even yell for you." She explained.

"You can come to me at any hour, Jo, decent or not." He glanced her way for only a second and looked straight again.

"Thank you" Jo said. They both faced forward once more, neither finding words to save them from the awkwardness.

"I thought that today would be a good one to give you the space that you had requested." Laurie replied almost distantly.

Jo realized that they were not thinking in the same vein today. She was joyful and Laurie was sullen. Jo turned her body toward him and placed one arm over the post, laying the other on one of his crossed arms. She could feel the muscles in his arm release tension at her touch.

"I don't want space, Teddy, nor time." Jo said. Laurie looked at her, and then moved his hand atop hers, relieved when she did not try to pull from his touch.

"What do you want?" was his simple pointed reply.

"I want to talk to you. I want to put all of our cards on the table. I need to air my hesitations and concerns and I hope that we can come to a solution together. You may air yours as well," Jo said with a smile, "I think that we need to just be completely honest with one another."

"Alright, I will bite, what would you like to discuss first?" Laurie had completely softened at this point. He hoped that the anxieties that he felt last night had simply been a waste of time.

"Well," Jo took a deep breath, "I think that we should touch on this marriage mess, it is the one that I can't seem to get past."

Laurie laughed nervously, "This 'marriage mess,' as you so lovingly put it, is the basis of all of this and it is pretty important in my opinion." He took a deep breath, "Let me see if I can help dissuade any fears. What is it that you cannot seem to get past?" He paused for a moment, fully faced her and gently touched her face. He had to know, "Do you love me Jo?"

She smiled and pulled her mouth to his for a quick kiss, she drew her arms around his neck, "I do love you, Teddy." The joy that Laurie felt could not be contained, he attempted to pull Jo into a much more satisfying embrace, but was stopped by her hand on his chest. She placed one hand back on the fence post and said "Teddy, wait." She composed herself and attempted to begin, but Laurie covered her hand with his own and broke in.

"Jo, if we love each other, what reason could there be for us to remain apart another moment. I have loved you as long as I can remember and cannot live without you in my life. Please, tell me what I can do to persuade you?" Jo pulled her hand away and turned with her body against the fence post, folding her arms and resting them atop the board.

"I will _not _enter a marriage through persuasion." Jo took a moment to calm, laughed slightly at her knee-jerk reaction, and continued. "If it were only that simple. If I marry you, I marry into a world that is foreign to me, a world that I don't want." Jo paused and saw Laurie turn uncomfortably with his back against the post once more. "Teddy, could you imagine our first house party? Try to picture it. I would break our finest china and surely spill hot tea on your most important guest. You would no doubt be cast out of society on my accord and quickly regret your choice."

"Jo, really, regret my choice, and be cast out of society, you're being ridiculous." Laurie turned back toward her one hand on her back and the other resting on her arm.

Jo looked back at Laurie with a look that worried him. "Not that ridiculous. I could never be happy in that life."

Laurie pulled from Jo and began to pace the ground. The pair was silent for minutes. There was a tree stump nearby and Laurie chose to rest his feet and have a seat. He looked up at Jo who was facing the other direction.

"So what now? We go our separate ways because you don't want to host a house party?" Laurie said with more force than he had meant.

"No, we could never go our separate ways." Jo came to him and sat at the foot of the stump, resting her arms on his knee. "And it is not only that I am _afraid_ of house parties." Jo said in a mocking tone. "I don't want to be governed by a man, I want to make my own, live by my own means, I want my contributions to mean something, surely you can understand that."

"Trust me Jo, there is _no_ man that could govern you, so you have nothing to worry about there." He said with an injured tone. "Do you not see that you don't have to have money to contribute? You give so much to me now Jo, your love would be the greatest contribution that I could ever hope for. When we marry you can do as you please, you can write half of the night if you wish and I will be so proud if you publish and make a name for yourself. All that I ask it that you do it with me at your side and when you're finished with your mid night writing, that you return to our bed. I don't wish to hold you back, honestly Jo, my only desire is to love you and have your love in return. If you don't want to throw parties, so be it. God Jo, don't throw this all away." Laurie stood up abruptly and ran his fingers through furiously through his hair. "How often do you think members of society go to parties, anyway? Lands Jo, most of our lives would be spent comfortably at home with our family."

"Our family?" Jo repeated, remembering another topic that must be touch upon.

"We don't have to have a family right away," Laurie walked back to the post. "I'm fighting a losing battle here aren't I?" He had to lean against something as his world began to spin slightly.

"I don't want children, not for a long time. There are just-" Jo was interrupted,

"There are ways around that Jo. We wouldn't have children until you were ready, and if you never are, it will be alright. You are enough for me." Laurie's tone was desperate.

Jo stood up and walked to Laurie, whose back was toward her. She wrapped one arm around his waist and the other over his shoulder.

"I don't want to live without you." She said into his back. There was another silence between them.

Jo held Laurie tight and had no idea where they would go from here. They seemed to be exactly where they had been a week prior. Jo wanted Laurie with all of her heart, but she wanted the life that she had always dreamed of with an equal passion. She _could not_ give up her freedom. Jo took in the scent of the man that she was pressed against. Talking to him was supposed to make things easier.

"Teddy, if I marry you I give up my dreams." Laurie lowered his head and curled his fingers around the rough wood on which he had been leaning.

"But, if I follow my dreams, I give up you." Jo pulled closer to him. She did not know why this was so hard

Laurie did not have the energy or power of will to pull away from Jo. He was exhausted by these conflicting emotions, he didn't know where Jo stood moment to moment. One of the things that he loved so much about her was her unpredictability, however he did not love this. He was asking her to choose between her dream and love, no, not love – marriage. She had declared her love. This was so much more difficult knowing that she loved him, why could she not have left well enough alone after the first time that they were here.

"I don't want you to settle for me, Jo." Laurie said, "We may be in an impossible situation you and me. You know where I stand, I believe that I have made that quite clear. I will stop pressing you, Jo. I don't understand it at all, but I am finished pressing."

They continued to stand, Jo draped around Laurie's back, and Laurie maintaining his grip on the fence. Laurie felt a dampness on the back of his shirt and knew that Jo was weeping. She tightened her arm around his waist and he reveled in the nearness of their bodies.

"If I agree, I can still write?" Jo said suddenly

He turned his head toward her and grabbed the hand that he found about his middle, "To your heart's content." Laurie was taken aback, and hope began to bloom once more.

"And if I make a fool of myself at our parties, you promise not to hate me." Jo said with seriousness in her tone that Laurie could feel.

"Possibly a little at first, but I am sure that I would not hold a grudge forever." As soon as he said that words, he regretted them, praying that Jo took them as sarcasm.

Jo laughed, "If I break the china?"

Laurie kept her hand as he turned to face her. "Jo, I wouldn't dream of allowing you to handle the nice china." Jo bit her lip, the look in his eyes was intoxicating. "I'm not made of money after all."

"I can still write?" She asked breathlessly.

"You've already asked that," He leaned down, his lips almost touching hers and he said, "and yes." Jo closed the gap between their lips and the two shared a kiss that was void of doubt and hesitation. This was a kiss that told Jo that whatever they encountered, they would face together. This was the kiss that sealed her fate. Jo knew without a doubt that she could not live the rest of her life without another one of these embraces.

Though their conversation had not assuaged her fears, Jo knew that she had to place her trust in this man, she had to trust her best friend. She looked into his eyes and realized that this was the right path. Laurie would not hold her back from her dreams, he would not oppress her. Neither choice would be easy, neither without sacrifice. Jo took a deep breath and did not take her eyes off of the man that she had only recently discovered that she loved.

"Teddy?" Jo said.

"Yes Jo." Laurie answered.

Their arms were wrapped around one another, in a position that felt so natural. Jo tried to speak but could find no words, she instead looked into Laurie's eyes with a smile and nodded her head yes.

Jo's simple gesture was all that was needed to heal the wounded heart of her boy. He held her for a length that neither could measure, and the two basked in the new-found love that they shared. It was with a more than a hint of sorrow that Laurie recognized that Jo was surrendering her dreams to fulfill his. As they stood beneath the ample shade of the maple trees in the quiet grove, Laurie silently vowed to do everything in his power to make it up to her.

The End.

**A/N: Thank you very much for taking the time to read this story. I appreciate all of the reviews, kind comments and immense patience (I have been writing for 2 years!) that you guys have given to me. Please check out my other story **_**The Letter**_**. **

**-Mere**


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